trust me ; mattheo riddle

Chapter thirteen

All Alessia wanted after an exhausting lesson with Snape that ran late into the night, was some time alone.

Of course, not even that was possible, because on the Astronomy tower where she was seeking solitude, was Mattheo, who seemed to have had the same idea as the girl.

"Pleasure to see you as always, Riddle" Alessia spoke, sarcasm lacing her tone, as per usual.

"This space is occupied, Nott, find somewhere else to drown in self pity" he replied, an equal harshness in his voice, that held the same bitterness that the girl was used to.

"What brings you here?" She asked the boy, ignoring his blatant rudeness. She walked over to where he was sat, placing her self against the wall opposite so the two were facing each other.

Alessia usually would have just left the place, so that she didn't have to interact with Mattheo, but for some reason, she wasn't completely repelled by his company that evening. The boy looked innocent in his position, staring out into the landscape over Hogwarts that was dimly lit by some lights. It was rare to see him so relaxed and for once, Alessia didn't feel threatened by him.

"Needed some space" he said simply, still admiring his view from the height they were at.

Alessia knew that feeling all too well.

She nodded slightly, watching the boy with intrigue.

The mark on Alessia's arm began to burn ever so slightly, just enough to be uncomfortable, so she pulled down her sleeve, seeking comfort in the warmth it provided. Mattheo stared at her arm, not uttering a word, just observing, his face remaining unreadable.

"The pain only lasts a few days" he spoke, making Alessia avert her gaze to the boy. The light reflecting onto him from the school made him look almost ethereal, and completely different from when Alessia would usually encounter him.

"Do you have one?" Alessia asked, fearing his reaction may be triggered by her simply being nosy. To her surprise, he lifted up his jumper sleeve, the dark mark now fully on show for the girl to see. His mark was without a doubt, Voldemort's, differing from the one Alessia had, which belonged to Mattheo's own followers.

"Why did you make me your follower, instead of giving me your father's mark?" Alessia asked. One day, her nosiness would land her in bad situations.

Mattheo let out a small sigh, perhaps growing tiresome of her company, or out of frustration for the topic of conversation.

"Trust me when I say this, you don't want to be his follower. I'm saving you from a life of hell." He said, not looking the girl in the eye, still staring out into the horizon, the birds soaring high.

Mattheo, in his own twisted way, had protected the girl by making her his own follower instead of the dark lords. This was an odd feeling for Alessia to experience, feeling so much hatred for an individual, but also feeling grateful.

"Thank you" she said, a ghost of a smile on her face. Mattheo nodded in acknowledgment, glancing at her briefly. Of course she wasn't happy that she had a mark in the first place, but knowing Mattheo purposefully kept her out of the dark lords ranks made her slightly happier.

The two sat in a comfortable silence, a new found appreciation circling the air.

"It was the same with your brother too. I don't think I could bear the guilt of watching my best friend fall apart under the influence of my father" he explained.

She couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. Was it too bold to suggest that the son of the dark lord had redeeming qualities somewhere under his impenetrable exterior?

Alessia savoured that moment like it was the oxygen sustaining her life, soaking it up to experience the ultimate comfort.

It felt like Alessia's head was constantly swarming with questions, from the prophecy and how Snape fitted into everything, to the memories that were taken from her regarding her power. Everything was confusing, and this felt like the one moment she had to get away from all of that.

And then, of course, there was the problem of Mattheo. He was the most elusive, secretive person that Alessia had the displeasure of knowing. She didn't even know why the two hated each other, and there was no fully explainable reason that came to mind when she thought of that. She never did anything to offend him, her snarky remarks were just a response to his scrutinising behaviour.

"Is there a genuine reason you hate me?" She asked suddenly, breaking the silence that the two were clinging onto. Alessia just needed to know, as their feud was the biggest unsolved mystery in the castle.

Mattheo frowned at the girl, his usual cold demeanour scurrying back without a second to spare. His eyes began loosing the glint that was previously in them when the two were simply accepting each others company and ignoring the hatred that often bounced between them. Now he was cold again.

Mattheo let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingers out of frustration. Alessia stared at him in worry, hopeful that she hadn't spoilt whatever this was by one single question. She never really knew what to say, in fear of ruffling his temper.

"When you have a father like mine, you learn that its easier to hate than to grow close. The dark lord will find you and he will use you for your power. Why would I waste my time with you when you will be probably be dead by the end of the year?" He asked, his voice hoarse and strained.

That whole confession made Alessia's heart physically ache for the boy. How could she hate someone who was so lost and hurt by their upbringing? Hatred and aggression was all he was taught to know, and she didn't even think to attempt and put herself in his situation.

Perhaps she had misjudged the boy.

Yes, he was incredibly rude and he had just insulted her yet again, but deep down, Alessia sympathised with him.

"Maybe under different circumstances we could have been friends" she said, testing the limits, saying that with genuine meaning. She always tried to find the good in people and after everything Mattheo had put her through, there was something there that proved he could be a good person.

"There is no version of this situation where we end up as friends, Nott" he replied bitterly, before standing up from his seated position, walking down the stairs of the astronomy tower, leaving Alessia shivering in the cold, alone.

Just when she thought he was redeemable, he went a spoiled it all.

A/N- and then i go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like....

ughhhh why does mattheo have to be so difficult

anyways, next chapter is one of my faves so get excited.

please dont forget to vote! it supports me massivley xx

love you all

Ellie💌
word count- 1180